Nevada County picayune., 1887-03-30

' sense of nightmare stole upon me; and, though perfectly awake, a sense of impending danger pos sessed me. At length, so uncom- fortable did I become in my rccum- bent position, that l arose and lighted my lamp, resolved to re- i plenish my fire, and dress myself, and see if 1 could read away my i nervoas fit.
 My lamp was lighted, and as l returned to the bed side for my slippers, my attention was attract ed by a string winch lay upon the carpet; string leading from the ] bed to the door. 1 stopped to eX- anime 1t aud found it fast at both ends. brought the lamp, and took more careful survey. The string was fine silken trout.llne, new and strong, one end of which disappeared beneath the bed, aud the other beneath the door In my condition l was suspicious of l evil, and my senses were painfully keen. Raising the hanging edge of the coveret 1 looked under the bed. TIe carpet-bag which Laban Shaw had left there, was partly open, with the silken line leading out from it. What could it means Had the man accidently carried the end of the line away with his night dress without noticing it! 1 drew the bag out from beneath the bed. and as 1 held its jaws apart 1 saw, within, d doublc-bar- relied pistol, both hammers cock ed, bright percussion caps glecm- ing upon the tubes, while the silken line with double end, was made fast to the triggersl And l saw that the muzzle of the pistol barrels were inserted into the end of an oblong box. or case, ol galvanized iron. And 1 comprehended, too, that a very slight pull upon that string might have discharged the pistol, and, therefore, that man outside of my daor might have done that thing.
 For little time my hands trem. bled so that l dared not touch the internal contrivance; but at length composed myself and went at work. First, l cut the spring with my knife; and then. as carefullyas possible, 1 eased down the hammer of the pistol, alter which l drew 1t from the iron case. l had just done this when heard q step in the oall outside my door. Quick as thought, sprang up, and turned the key, and threw the door open: and before me, revealed by the light of my lamp, stood Laban Shaw. He was frightened when he saw me and trembled like an aspen 1 was stronger than he at any time. and now he was child in my hands. l grasped him by the col lar, and dragged him into my room; and 1 pointed the double barreled pistol at his breast, and told him 1 would shoot him as would a dog if he gave me occasion. He was abject and terrified. Lake whipped eur he cpawled at my feet, and begged for mercy. His mas Fter had hired liim to dO 1t with promise oi great reward, lt had transpired that my testimony be-
 fore the jury would be conclusive of Butterworth's guilt, and Butter worth had taken this means to get rid of me. In his great terror, the poor accomplice made 9 full con tessiOn; and when he had told all, released my grasp, He begged that l would let him goI but l dared not-.my duty would not al. low it. l rang the bell, and in time the hostler, who slept in the office, answered my summons. l sent him for an officer, and at length had the satisfaction of seeing my prisoner led safely away.
 On the following day the carpet. bag was taken before the grand jury, and the iron safe examined by an experienced chemist assisted bA an old armorer from the arsen- al, It was found to contain a ful minate of mereury, mixed with bits of iron; and 1t was the opinion of both chemist and arlnorer that the power of the terrific explosive agent, had it been ignited, as it was placed beneath my bed, would not only have been sufficient to blow me to atoms, but that it wonld also have literally stripped and shivered to fragments all of the house above il,
 And single pull of that silken string would have been sufficient to this horrible end' And but for my nervous waking-my incubus of fforeboding- the destroyer would have come; the fatal cord would have been touched; the mine sprung, and ahould have been launched into eternity as upon the lightning's bolt,
 And so Gabriel Butterworth did not procure the destruction oI my testimony, but, through that testi. mony, the grand jury found cause for indictment of far graver char acter than had at lrst been anticl- pated; and of those graver charges he was convicted. Seth Damon re- ceiyed back the full sum he had entrusted to the ialse mans care, and shortly afterward l entered